English Standard Version
Psalms 73:16
16But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
Psalms 73:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- New International Version (NIV)When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
- New King James Version (NKJV)When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—
- New Living Translation (NLT)So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
Context of Psalms 73:16
14For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
Read all of Psalms 73Psalms 73:16 word by word
וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל ה֣וּא בְעֵינָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 73:16
- Psalms 36:6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.
- Psalms 77:19Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
- Psalms 97:2Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
- Proverbs 30:2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
- Ecclesiastes 8:17then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
- Romans 11:33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
- Psalms 39:6Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
- Luke 18:32For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.
- John 16:18So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."
Commentaries on Psalms 73:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16When I thought to know this - When I reviewed the history of our fathers, I saw that, though thou hadst from time to time hidden thy face because of their sins, yet thou hadst never utterly abandoned them to their adversaries; and it was not reasonable to conclude that thou wouldst do now what thou hadst never done before; and yet the continuance of our captivity, the oppressive hardships which we suffer, and the small prospect there is of release, puzzle…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16When I thought to know this - When I endeavored to comprehend this, or to explain it to myself. The idea is that he “thought” on the subject, or “meditated” on it with a view to be able to understand it. He did not express his opinions and feelings to others, but he dwelt on them in his own mind; not to find additional difficulties, not to confirm himself in opposition to God, and not to find new occasions for distrusting the divine government, but to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 The psalmist having shown the progress of his temptation, shows how faith and grace prevailed. He kept up respect for God's people, and with that he restrained himself from speaking what he had thought amiss. It is a sign that we repent of the evil thoughts of the heart, if we suppress them. Nothing gives more offence to God's children, than to say it is vain to serve God; for there is nothing more contrary to their universal experience. He…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16If the psalmist had spoken about his doubts regarding the value of living a godly life, he might have discouraged God's people and given God's enemies a chance to speak against God (compare John 13:20). Instead, the psalmist keeps the problem to himself and thinks about it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. Still he-- thought--literally, "studied," or, "pondered this riddle"; but in vain; it remained a toil (compare Margin), till he--Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 73:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 73
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries